The Pentecost

Ghani al-Mallakh

19 Jun 2016 1:01 am

Today, 19 June, the Coptic Church celebrates the Pentecost, the feast that marks the Holy Spirit descending upon the disciples of Jesus 50 days after His Resurrection from the dead, and 10 days after His Ascension.

The Bible describes this amazing moment in the Book of the Acts, Chapter 2: 1 – 4. It says: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Once the feast is over, the Church starts the Fast of the Apostles, a fast that is primarily consecrated to service and that ends on 12 July, the Feast of the Apostles which marks the martyrdom of St Peter and St Paul.